It is desirable to protect electronic equipment from damage during earthquake or seismic shock activity. It is particularly essential that after an earthquake or seismic shock, telecommunications equipment located in the earthquake vicinity is operational. In some data centers, frames are bolted down to the floor to limit the effects of strong earthquakes or seismic shock activity on the electronic components. Bolting rack systems to the floor tends to reduce the risk of the rack system tipping over. Bolting rack systems to the floor may not, however, protect computing devices in the racks from damage caused by shaking in the portions of the rack above the floor under seismic loads.
As a result, electronic components have been mounted in specially designed frames which are intended to support the equipment so as to withstand the most severe earthquakes and seismic shocks that are likely to occur in a given vicinity. It is known that an earthquake resistant frame should have as high a natural vibrational frequency as possible, and to make such frames rigid for this purpose. Typically, earthquake resistant frames are made of massive section structures with large section bracing and stiffening members. These earthquake resistant frames are extremely heavy and expensive to manufacture.
Conventional frames have typically been implemented with underlying supporting structures. However, the conventional frames are not implemented in accordance with their specific design. For example, a conventional frame when mounted securely upon a concrete floor, has a natural vibrational frequency of approximately 6.5 Hz when subjected to an earthquake measured with an intensity of about 8.3 on the Richter scale. This frequency is acceptable to prevent damage to telecommunications equipment held by the frame. However, telecommunications equipment is often housed in upper stories of buildings, e.g. the second or third story. The horizontal acceleration levels in movements of floors during seismic activity increase from floor-to-floor upwardly from the ground. When conventional frames are mounted upon an above ground floor, the acceleration levels of movement of the floor effectively acts upon the frame so that it is less likely to protect electronic equipment from strong earthquakes or seismic activity. Therefore, the conventional frames are not effective.
The present invention provides an earthquake resistant, electronic equipment frame that can minimize the above problems.